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Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding
MP3 CD Format Among the most enduring themes in American history is the idea that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. A pervasive narrative in everything from school textbooks to political commentary, it is central to the way in which many Americans perceive the historical legacy of their nation. Yet, as Steven K. Green shows in this illuminating new book, it is little more than a myth.
In Inventing a Christian America , Green, a leading historian of religion and politics, explores the historical record that is purported to support the popular belief in America's religious founding and status as a Christian nation. He demonstrates that, like all myths, these claims are based on historical "facts" that have been colored by the interpretive narratives that have been imposed upon them. In tracing the evolution of these claims and the evidence levied in support of them from the founding of the New England colonies, through the American Revolution, and to the present day, he investigates how they became leading narratives in the country's collective identity. Three critical moments in American history shaped and continue to drive the myth of a Christian the Puritan founding of New England, the American Revolution and the forging of a new nation, and the early years of the nineteenth century, when a second generation of Americans sought to redefine and reconcile the memory of the founding to match their religious and patriotic aspirations. Seeking to shed light not only on the veracity of these ideas but on the reasons they endure, Green ultimately shows that the notion of America's religious founding is a myth not merely in the colloquial sense, but also in a deeper sense, as a shared story that gives deeper meaning to our collective national identity.
Offering a fresh look at one of the most common and contested claims in American history, Inventing a Christian America is a must-listen for anyone interested in the story of—and the debate over—America's founding.
In Inventing a Christian America , Green, a leading historian of religion and politics, explores the historical record that is purported to support the popular belief in America's religious founding and status as a Christian nation. He demonstrates that, like all myths, these claims are based on historical "facts" that have been colored by the interpretive narratives that have been imposed upon them. In tracing the evolution of these claims and the evidence levied in support of them from the founding of the New England colonies, through the American Revolution, and to the present day, he investigates how they became leading narratives in the country's collective identity. Three critical moments in American history shaped and continue to drive the myth of a Christian the Puritan founding of New England, the American Revolution and the forging of a new nation, and the early years of the nineteenth century, when a second generation of Americans sought to redefine and reconcile the memory of the founding to match their religious and patriotic aspirations. Seeking to shed light not only on the veracity of these ideas but on the reasons they endure, Green ultimately shows that the notion of America's religious founding is a myth not merely in the colloquial sense, but also in a deeper sense, as a shared story that gives deeper meaning to our collective national identity.
Offering a fresh look at one of the most common and contested claims in American history, Inventing a Christian America is a must-listen for anyone interested in the story of—and the debate over—America's founding.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published April 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 17, 2021
This is such a great work! This book outlines the origins of the intentional misleading of America being founded on Christian principles. It also touched on the origins of clergy positioning their roles as leaders of communities seeking not just religious, but social issues as well. Many more will need to read this work before progress can be made.
April 9, 2024
hagiography (noun) 1. the writing of the lives of saints. 2. biography that idealizes its subject.
Not going to lie, this was a tough read, with boring repetition throughout and parts that read like a legal brief (the author is a law professor, after all). However, the subject is addressed here in a thorough manner unlike anything I've seen elsewhere, and I learned a great deal.
The general premise here is that there's been some really bad methodology among historical scholars, mostly on the side of Christian nationalists and conservatives, cherry-picking quotes from the Founding Fathers to support their argument that America was founded as a Christian nation from its earliest colonies, to the Revolution, underlying the Constitution, and beyond. The author also slaps down secular historians who would argue that the Founders were all Deists with irreligious or even anti-Christian sentiments. Green states that "Attempts to resolve the controversy over America's religious origins are generally doomed to failure." (p. 9)
Green then proceeds, chapter by chapter, to present the Christian nationalist arguments bit by bit and break down why they are only partially true, mostly incorrect, or outright wrong. The reader learns how the Pilgrims/Puritans were all but forgotten by the Founding Fathers, only to be venerated later by their New England descendants. How the Puritan intolerance was by no means the basis for our religious freedom. (There's a nice section on how other colonies addressed religious liberty/tolerance, with Pennsylvania coming out on top, Rhode Island and Maryland second, and North Carolina and New York ending up there by default).
The beliefs of some of the major and minor Founding Fathers are examined to show a greater complexity than is usually portrayed. Some of them could be both religious traditionalists and Enlightenment rationalists. Most, Green argues, were not hard-core deists but rather rational theists. They were all Bible-literate, the Bible being the most read book of the time, and used religious phrases in speeches and letters -- it is not odd that they did, it would have been stranger had they not, and what they didn't say was sometimes just as important as what they did say (or how they said it).
The documents themselves are examined: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and others. Their sources and inspirations are reviewed...Enlightenment and Whig theory, not religion. The no religious test clause is given as evidence of secular principle, acknowledged as such by the anti-Federalists and from the clergy in the pulpits.
And then it is shown how multiple factors worked to build a founding mythology of America as a Christian nation, in what was at least partially a deliberate attempt to unite the nation. There was reaction to the horrors of the French Revolution, the evangelical movement following the Second Great Awakening, the veneration of the Puritans/Pilgrims enshrined in our children's school books, the deification of George Washington by biographers after his death (also making it into our textbooks). There was use of British law and the common laws of the colonies that held over into the new nation and were interpreted by judges under the concept of natural law from God (blasphemy laws, etc.)
There is so much more to the argument than what I can summarize. Why does it matter? Because it still affects us today in Supreme Court cases looking back for precedents on what the Founding Fathers really meant by that separation of church and state thing. If all this piques your curiosity, by all means, read the book.
Not going to lie, this was a tough read, with boring repetition throughout and parts that read like a legal brief (the author is a law professor, after all). However, the subject is addressed here in a thorough manner unlike anything I've seen elsewhere, and I learned a great deal.
The general premise here is that there's been some really bad methodology among historical scholars, mostly on the side of Christian nationalists and conservatives, cherry-picking quotes from the Founding Fathers to support their argument that America was founded as a Christian nation from its earliest colonies, to the Revolution, underlying the Constitution, and beyond. The author also slaps down secular historians who would argue that the Founders were all Deists with irreligious or even anti-Christian sentiments. Green states that "Attempts to resolve the controversy over America's religious origins are generally doomed to failure." (p. 9)
Green then proceeds, chapter by chapter, to present the Christian nationalist arguments bit by bit and break down why they are only partially true, mostly incorrect, or outright wrong. The reader learns how the Pilgrims/Puritans were all but forgotten by the Founding Fathers, only to be venerated later by their New England descendants. How the Puritan intolerance was by no means the basis for our religious freedom. (There's a nice section on how other colonies addressed religious liberty/tolerance, with Pennsylvania coming out on top, Rhode Island and Maryland second, and North Carolina and New York ending up there by default).
The beliefs of some of the major and minor Founding Fathers are examined to show a greater complexity than is usually portrayed. Some of them could be both religious traditionalists and Enlightenment rationalists. Most, Green argues, were not hard-core deists but rather rational theists. They were all Bible-literate, the Bible being the most read book of the time, and used religious phrases in speeches and letters -- it is not odd that they did, it would have been stranger had they not, and what they didn't say was sometimes just as important as what they did say (or how they said it).
The documents themselves are examined: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and others. Their sources and inspirations are reviewed...Enlightenment and Whig theory, not religion. The no religious test clause is given as evidence of secular principle, acknowledged as such by the anti-Federalists and from the clergy in the pulpits.
And then it is shown how multiple factors worked to build a founding mythology of America as a Christian nation, in what was at least partially a deliberate attempt to unite the nation. There was reaction to the horrors of the French Revolution, the evangelical movement following the Second Great Awakening, the veneration of the Puritans/Pilgrims enshrined in our children's school books, the deification of George Washington by biographers after his death (also making it into our textbooks). There was use of British law and the common laws of the colonies that held over into the new nation and were interpreted by judges under the concept of natural law from God (blasphemy laws, etc.)
There is so much more to the argument than what I can summarize. Why does it matter? Because it still affects us today in Supreme Court cases looking back for precedents on what the Founding Fathers really meant by that separation of church and state thing. If all this piques your curiosity, by all means, read the book.
July 2, 2015
http://ensuingchapters.com/2015/07/02...
As America approaches its 25th decade, it’s only natural to look back and re-evaluate who we are and what we’ve done with our time in power. Perhaps it’s the mid-life crisis of empire, or just the build-up toward a presidential election, but coming out this summer is an arsenal of books regarding our nation’s founding.
I’m reading as many of them as I can, because it’s a fascinating study, and Steven K. Green’s Inventing a Christian America is an important contribution.
His attempt is to demystify the colonial and revolutionary periods to get at the truth of the religious origins of the country. He starts by addressing two of the most common narratives of the founding: the first being that of a country chartered by religious exiles in search of freedom to practice as they pleased, the other of Founding Fathers who established the separation of church and state.
Both of which he describes as myths, in the literal sense. “In providing explanations of events not personally remembered, myths legitimize the past while they provide a unifying narrative for a distinct people.”
The truth is that colonial life was more diverse than either narrative suggests. Sure, there were religious exiles, but there were people of many beliefs, not just protestantism. And there were many folks that were there for business, adventure or a new start in life.
But when it came time to unify the disparate colonies, a common tale was in order.
Green writes: “The idea of America’s religious origins is essentially a myth created and retold for the purpose of anointing the founding, and the nation, with a higher, transcendent meaning.”
Through his historical digging, Green reveals a pluralistic society that’s difficult to pigeonhole in retrospect. What they did record in founding documents, however, was both a respect for religious practice and the separation of church and state.
Green’s work is thorough and authoritative, and is certainly a book I enjoyed and would recommend. But whereas some academic books have crossover appeal, this is not a book that will translate well to a general audience.
Which is unfortunate, because most Americans would benefit from learning more about the founding and the role of religion in early America. Especially now.
Inventing a Christian America is a great place to start.
As America approaches its 25th decade, it’s only natural to look back and re-evaluate who we are and what we’ve done with our time in power. Perhaps it’s the mid-life crisis of empire, or just the build-up toward a presidential election, but coming out this summer is an arsenal of books regarding our nation’s founding.
I’m reading as many of them as I can, because it’s a fascinating study, and Steven K. Green’s Inventing a Christian America is an important contribution.
His attempt is to demystify the colonial and revolutionary periods to get at the truth of the religious origins of the country. He starts by addressing two of the most common narratives of the founding: the first being that of a country chartered by religious exiles in search of freedom to practice as they pleased, the other of Founding Fathers who established the separation of church and state.
Both of which he describes as myths, in the literal sense. “In providing explanations of events not personally remembered, myths legitimize the past while they provide a unifying narrative for a distinct people.”
The truth is that colonial life was more diverse than either narrative suggests. Sure, there were religious exiles, but there were people of many beliefs, not just protestantism. And there were many folks that were there for business, adventure or a new start in life.
But when it came time to unify the disparate colonies, a common tale was in order.
Green writes: “The idea of America’s religious origins is essentially a myth created and retold for the purpose of anointing the founding, and the nation, with a higher, transcendent meaning.”
Through his historical digging, Green reveals a pluralistic society that’s difficult to pigeonhole in retrospect. What they did record in founding documents, however, was both a respect for religious practice and the separation of church and state.
Green’s work is thorough and authoritative, and is certainly a book I enjoyed and would recommend. But whereas some academic books have crossover appeal, this is not a book that will translate well to a general audience.
Which is unfortunate, because most Americans would benefit from learning more about the founding and the role of religion in early America. Especially now.
Inventing a Christian America is a great place to start.
March 14, 2015
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley.
Philadelphia is a historical place, though often overlooked in favor of New York, Boston, and Washington DC. But it was here that the important documents of the nation were crafted. It is here that Franklin came after fleeing Boston.
And give me a Yuengling any day of the week over a Sam Adams.
The thing is, that here in Philadelphia certain tour guides have a tendency to make history up as if they are auditioning for the SyFy (god, I hate that spelling) Channel. For instance, did you know that Washington and Lincoln had dinner together? Neither did I. Neither did they. There is a tendency to make history more dramatic, more story, more symbolic, more of what we want than what it was.
In part that is the point of this book from OUP and by Steven Green. Green looks at the idea of religious freedom, the idea of a Christian nation, and the founding of America. Now, before you get your panties in a twist, Hill looks and rebuts both sides – the idea of a totality of Christianity in the Founding as well as the idea of total religious freedom and the dismissal of Christianity in the founding.
In other words, both sides of the debate will probably be a bit ticked off, which seems to indicate that Green is mostly like correct.
Of particular interest is the presentation of the original colonies and the issue of religious freedom in their founding. While some of the points raised in this section might be facts that and product of a good history class would know, there are some gems and good analysis here, in particular in regards to New England.
Green also looks at the Founding Fathers and their view on religion and that messy phrase “separation of Church and state”.
If you are listening to all the rhetoric from right and left about religion in America, this book is a breath of fresh air while giving the actual history that more talking heads should know.
May 3, 2016
This is an academic historical perspective and analysis of the origins and evolution of the Christian narrative that the United States is founded on Christianity. It is not a casual, nor is it an easily digestible read in my opinion. Green takes a very thorough and exhaustive examination of the historical record - historical events, writings, statements, beliefs of the time, and documents. His legal background is appropriate and helps his handling of the constitutional issues relating to Christianity. The mythical conception of the United States being a Christian nation was done far after the fact. It's shown to be a very specific construction in order to justify and sanctify the country.
An academic publication that I personally feel should be mandatory reading for entering into this particular "debate". Though I feel there is not much of a debate to be had, but Green does take good care to address talking points on both sides of the aisle. Well worth the effort and time to read through. And I especially recommend following through with the 42 pages of notation.
An academic publication that I personally feel should be mandatory reading for entering into this particular "debate". Though I feel there is not much of a debate to be had, but Green does take good care to address talking points on both sides of the aisle. Well worth the effort and time to read through. And I especially recommend following through with the 42 pages of notation.
November 22, 2023
Green's "Inventing a Christian America" is a scholarly, dense, and well balanced account of the invention and promotion of the myth of the Christian foundation of America.
Green's book goes into great detail on the historical details of this pervasive myth. He includes trends in language and the common language of the day, the impact of the Enlightenment on political and religious thought, plus who and why some set out to deliberately create the myth of the Christian founding. And while religion had a role in the Revolution and other events of the day, Green goes to lengths to describe what that role was and how the Enlightenment impacted religion and thus, what religious leaders and thinkers said and thought about the American experiment.
If you're interested in American history or looking for information about our country's founding to weild against Christian Nationalism, you've come to the spot.
Green's book goes into great detail on the historical details of this pervasive myth. He includes trends in language and the common language of the day, the impact of the Enlightenment on political and religious thought, plus who and why some set out to deliberately create the myth of the Christian founding. And while religion had a role in the Revolution and other events of the day, Green goes to lengths to describe what that role was and how the Enlightenment impacted religion and thus, what religious leaders and thinkers said and thought about the American experiment.
If you're interested in American history or looking for information about our country's founding to weild against Christian Nationalism, you've come to the spot.
July 22, 2017
Well Researched
People on both sides of the debate of America's Christian roots are partly right and partly wrong. This book does a great job of unpacking the history and development of the American myth. There is a lot of revisionist history out there, but this book is a welcome corrective, helping us see that our American story, like many world cultures, makes the most sense when we see ourselves in the myth and it's development.
People on both sides of the debate of America's Christian roots are partly right and partly wrong. This book does a great job of unpacking the history and development of the American myth. There is a lot of revisionist history out there, but this book is a welcome corrective, helping us see that our American story, like many world cultures, makes the most sense when we see ourselves in the myth and it's development.
February 2, 2022
A little dense for the general public if no or only little background knowledge of American religious history, but still an accessible and important book that does not settle for the common oversimplification of history.
August 10, 2015
In Inventing a Christian America, Steven K. Green provides a very well-researched, detailed and nuanced history of religious thought during the time of the colonists, at the founding of the new country and how the past was manipulated to create the myth we now know as a "Christian America." It is balanced and debunks many talking points on both sides of the current arguments about the founding of the country.
I believe this is one book that could be done an injustice by trying to summarize it briefly. It is extremely nuanced and any brief overview will skip parts of the story that together make the overall argument. Let me just say that unless you're more interested in having your way than exploring the truth, this will be a rewarding read.
I highly recommend this book for anyone either involved in, or interested in, the contemporary debates over whether or to what degree America might be a "Christian country."
Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I believe this is one book that could be done an injustice by trying to summarize it briefly. It is extremely nuanced and any brief overview will skip parts of the story that together make the overall argument. Let me just say that unless you're more interested in having your way than exploring the truth, this will be a rewarding read.
I highly recommend this book for anyone either involved in, or interested in, the contemporary debates over whether or to what degree America might be a "Christian country."
Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
May 8, 2017
"History is complex." ~John Fea :)
When I started this book I expected that it would provide me with a clear, unambiguous answer to a simple question: "Was America founded as a Christian nation?". In retrospect, that was a stupid expectation. Not only did this book leave me with answers that are many, complex, nuanced, and open-for-interpretation, but it left me with numerous questions from which to examine this (apparently) incredibly complex issue. I am ashamed to say that I expected that recent history would provide a much clearer record (a bias from majoring in anthropology, I expect, since my study of history has traditionally been so early that only bones and cave drawings are available for study, whereas those "lucky historians" have documents and photos from a people actually concerned with preserving history. Easy! Right? Not so much...).
Anyway, the author actually did a pretty good job of convincing me that America *IS* a Christian Nation, which I don't believe was his intent. This lasted for the first 178 pages, and after that the author really brought it all together and I began to be able to organize the massive amounts of information he had been shoving into my brain into some sort of logical narrative. And yeah, this book is information packed. I started reading this with maybe 6 or 7 "facts" about America's founding, and I feel like now I am jumping up and down trying to close the metaphorical suitcase in my brain.
The author does a fantastic job of remaining neutral and simply presenting ALL (and I do mean ALL) the information with only a slight lean towards his own opinions. But, he makes it easy to disagree. I wavered for a long time between 3 and 4 stars for this book...on the one hand it is packed with well-researched, fairly presented, useful information and succeeds in aiding me to come to an informed opinion on the subject. What more can you really ask for? On the other hand, I absolutely hated the author's writing style. It was like he was channeling the worst of Richard Dawkins and J.R.R. Tolkien. The book has only 5 chapters and each chapter has only a handful of LONG sections. Seriously, section headings and chapter breaks, man! They make things much easier to read, follow, and digest. I'm a sucker for a nice, long, carefully organized table of contents which breaks up each main point into easy to digest sections. It just makes the information more accessible. Also, I felt that the author often presented extraneous information (like the names of every founder involved, or irrelevant details about a specific colony) which often made it difficult to follow the track of the author's point. And he often repeated what he had said, many times from a paragraph before! I think with better organization, a less circuitous writing style, and some editing to pare the information down to what truly adds to the argument (and only once!), this book would have been about 2/3 to 1/2 as long. This was a rough read for me and took me much longer than my usual reading speed to get through, and I think this mismatch between my preferences and the author's writing style is to blame. But that being said, it was so good at the intended purpose that I eventually settled on 4 stars despite my personal preference for concise and efficient writing styles because I know some wacky people actually PREFER that style of writing.
So while this is all still fresh, here are my concluding thoughts on my initial question: Was America founded as a Christian nation?"
My answer: "Well, that depends on what you mean by the question..." My conclusion from this book is the following - The original colonists to America were so saturated with religion as their worldview that EVERYTHING was viewed through the lens of "God's Providence", and so they did in fact believe they were forming a new world based on the desires and for the glory of God. But it was an unorganized band of colonists, and as they organized and each colony differed, the roles of religion and philosophies of the time evolved.
By the time the Declaration of Independence was signed and disseminated to bolster the public for the war for independence, Rationalist and Natural Law theories prevailed among the ruling elite (meaning the most influential founders) such that despite the influence of many traditionally Christian people on the text of the Declaration of Independence, the overall intent is a compromise reflecting largely Natural Law viewpoints that were simply palatable to the religious majority. Despite that, after this time, religious providence and the idea of being a nation for God still prevailed among the majority of leaders and people, such that if I went back in time and asked 100 people at random if America was a Christian nation, I believe all 100 would say yes without hesitation.
However, the critical importance of the ratification of Constitution, which I believe is signal to the ACTUAL (not symbolic) beginning of the nation of America, is the document which must be analyzed regarding the simplified question. In this case, despite the massive amount of politics and infighting we'd expect to see even today from right-wing evangelicals, the Rationalist philosophy prevailed, and America was, in fact, founded as a secular nation (with a respect and support for religion and the Glory of God, of course). The secular nature of the Constitution was contested hotly by many in politics, and, I expect, the majority of the populace, but the secularism itself was never questioned until later (before Jefferson et. al. had a chance to rot in graves, even). Given the enormous power of a few founders in this age, this is what happened, which was made all the more amazing given the political beliefs of the majority of the time. Despite this, over time, the past faded into memory, and as people are wont to do, that memory began to "shift" to better fit the desires of those continuing on, and so the highly contested and unexpected secular founding was re-worked into the myth of a Christian Nation.
When I started this book I expected that it would provide me with a clear, unambiguous answer to a simple question: "Was America founded as a Christian nation?". In retrospect, that was a stupid expectation. Not only did this book leave me with answers that are many, complex, nuanced, and open-for-interpretation, but it left me with numerous questions from which to examine this (apparently) incredibly complex issue. I am ashamed to say that I expected that recent history would provide a much clearer record (a bias from majoring in anthropology, I expect, since my study of history has traditionally been so early that only bones and cave drawings are available for study, whereas those "lucky historians" have documents and photos from a people actually concerned with preserving history. Easy! Right? Not so much...).
Anyway, the author actually did a pretty good job of convincing me that America *IS* a Christian Nation, which I don't believe was his intent. This lasted for the first 178 pages, and after that the author really brought it all together and I began to be able to organize the massive amounts of information he had been shoving into my brain into some sort of logical narrative. And yeah, this book is information packed. I started reading this with maybe 6 or 7 "facts" about America's founding, and I feel like now I am jumping up and down trying to close the metaphorical suitcase in my brain.
The author does a fantastic job of remaining neutral and simply presenting ALL (and I do mean ALL) the information with only a slight lean towards his own opinions. But, he makes it easy to disagree. I wavered for a long time between 3 and 4 stars for this book...on the one hand it is packed with well-researched, fairly presented, useful information and succeeds in aiding me to come to an informed opinion on the subject. What more can you really ask for? On the other hand, I absolutely hated the author's writing style. It was like he was channeling the worst of Richard Dawkins and J.R.R. Tolkien. The book has only 5 chapters and each chapter has only a handful of LONG sections. Seriously, section headings and chapter breaks, man! They make things much easier to read, follow, and digest. I'm a sucker for a nice, long, carefully organized table of contents which breaks up each main point into easy to digest sections. It just makes the information more accessible. Also, I felt that the author often presented extraneous information (like the names of every founder involved, or irrelevant details about a specific colony) which often made it difficult to follow the track of the author's point. And he often repeated what he had said, many times from a paragraph before! I think with better organization, a less circuitous writing style, and some editing to pare the information down to what truly adds to the argument (and only once!), this book would have been about 2/3 to 1/2 as long. This was a rough read for me and took me much longer than my usual reading speed to get through, and I think this mismatch between my preferences and the author's writing style is to blame. But that being said, it was so good at the intended purpose that I eventually settled on 4 stars despite my personal preference for concise and efficient writing styles because I know some wacky people actually PREFER that style of writing.
So while this is all still fresh, here are my concluding thoughts on my initial question: Was America founded as a Christian nation?"
My answer: "Well, that depends on what you mean by the question..." My conclusion from this book is the following - The original colonists to America were so saturated with religion as their worldview that EVERYTHING was viewed through the lens of "God's Providence", and so they did in fact believe they were forming a new world based on the desires and for the glory of God. But it was an unorganized band of colonists, and as they organized and each colony differed, the roles of religion and philosophies of the time evolved.
By the time the Declaration of Independence was signed and disseminated to bolster the public for the war for independence, Rationalist and Natural Law theories prevailed among the ruling elite (meaning the most influential founders) such that despite the influence of many traditionally Christian people on the text of the Declaration of Independence, the overall intent is a compromise reflecting largely Natural Law viewpoints that were simply palatable to the religious majority. Despite that, after this time, religious providence and the idea of being a nation for God still prevailed among the majority of leaders and people, such that if I went back in time and asked 100 people at random if America was a Christian nation, I believe all 100 would say yes without hesitation.
However, the critical importance of the ratification of Constitution, which I believe is signal to the ACTUAL (not symbolic) beginning of the nation of America, is the document which must be analyzed regarding the simplified question. In this case, despite the massive amount of politics and infighting we'd expect to see even today from right-wing evangelicals, the Rationalist philosophy prevailed, and America was, in fact, founded as a secular nation (with a respect and support for religion and the Glory of God, of course). The secular nature of the Constitution was contested hotly by many in politics, and, I expect, the majority of the populace, but the secularism itself was never questioned until later (before Jefferson et. al. had a chance to rot in graves, even). Given the enormous power of a few founders in this age, this is what happened, which was made all the more amazing given the political beliefs of the majority of the time. Despite this, over time, the past faded into memory, and as people are wont to do, that memory began to "shift" to better fit the desires of those continuing on, and so the highly contested and unexpected secular founding was re-worked into the myth of a Christian Nation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
mt-tbr
March 14, 2015My ARC courtesy of OUP/Net Galley - much thanks!
August 22, 2015
Interesting analysis of Christianity in America. Author seems to know his historical facts. Some may be offended but history buffs will be satisfied.
May 10, 2016
Green destroys the myth that America was founded on religious freedoms, and proves that the forefathers were actually not very religious at all. Great read! Highly recommended.
March 27, 2024
This history of how Christian America was “invented” can be read as a history of America’s founding seen as a transition from a theistic base to a foundation based on reason. This is not a light history. At times, for this reader, the author is so thorough that the writing became dense.
While Green respects and acknowledges the influence of religion and theists on the founding of our nation, he thoughtfully and thoroughly dismantles the interpretations of our founding as a Christian government as espoused by Christian Nationalists and those who simply believe America was founded as a Christian nation. After this dismantling, he then wraps up with how and why the myth of America as a Christian nation was created and concludes with this assessment:
“The problem with the ongoing debate over America’s Christian origins is in people’s failure to acknowledge the purposeful origins of this narrative, to understand its role as a founding myth. . . . People are not wrong to consider the evidence of religious influences in our nation’s founding; nor should those impulses ever be diminished or ignored. But people should resist the temptation to place them into some grand narrative that obscures (and, in truth, diminishes) their constructive role. So long as proponents of America’s Christian origins fail to see the narrative as a myth, they will be unable to appreciate the true importance of America’s religious heritage.”
Some notes:
Our government originates from the people, from reasoning (the Enlightenment) and not God-based; that “political compacts” were derived from “human actions” and not based on “covenant theology.”
“The power of founding myths lies in how they operate as mechanisms for empowering later generations to re-evaluate past events in light of current challenges and to reinterpret those events to support future aspirations.”
“. . . the idea that America was settled as a haven for religious freedom, the notion that the nation’s founding and its constitutional system are Christian inspired is a consciously created myth. It is a myth of national identity, and like all important myths it relies on a mixed record of historical facts and aspirations.”
It is difficult to discern the origin of the separation between church and state because of how much the written and oral evidence from the colonial and revolutionary periods are filled with religious phrases and Biblical references. This was common practice in nearly all areas of life, including in political discussions. The fact that such rhetoric was so commonly used makes it easy to cherry-pick statements to create a history of our political compact being founded on Christianity.
In Chapter 3, “Faiths of Our Fathers,” gives examples of how cherry-picking from this period simplifies the ambiguous and sometimes nuanced words of the Founders to “prove” our nation was founded as a Christian nation.
Chapter 4 examines the secular nature of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Chapter 5: the how and why the myth of America as a Christian nation was consciously created after the War of 1812 in “a quest to forge a national identity.” Books of this period, especially textbooks and histories, and commentaries cast Washington, the Declaration & Constitution, common law, and the Puritans as reflections of God’s will; that is, Christianity, so “America’s identity was secure, and it had a glorious future, but both were due to its religious founding, one that had been guided by God.”
The elements that came together to create the myth:
- The deification of Washington
- Evangelical Revisionism (The Second Great Awakening): “The image of a secular government succumbed to a myth that America had been founded as a Christian nation.”
- Christianity and the law: a pre-eminent higher law (natural law) underlay all law. (Blackstone’s COMMENTARIES)
- A revision of the Pilgrims and Puritans
The myth created during the early 19th Century was less divisive politically and culturally than the belief today.
While Green respects and acknowledges the influence of religion and theists on the founding of our nation, he thoughtfully and thoroughly dismantles the interpretations of our founding as a Christian government as espoused by Christian Nationalists and those who simply believe America was founded as a Christian nation. After this dismantling, he then wraps up with how and why the myth of America as a Christian nation was created and concludes with this assessment:
“The problem with the ongoing debate over America’s Christian origins is in people’s failure to acknowledge the purposeful origins of this narrative, to understand its role as a founding myth. . . . People are not wrong to consider the evidence of religious influences in our nation’s founding; nor should those impulses ever be diminished or ignored. But people should resist the temptation to place them into some grand narrative that obscures (and, in truth, diminishes) their constructive role. So long as proponents of America’s Christian origins fail to see the narrative as a myth, they will be unable to appreciate the true importance of America’s religious heritage.”
Some notes:
Our government originates from the people, from reasoning (the Enlightenment) and not God-based; that “political compacts” were derived from “human actions” and not based on “covenant theology.”
“The power of founding myths lies in how they operate as mechanisms for empowering later generations to re-evaluate past events in light of current challenges and to reinterpret those events to support future aspirations.”
“. . . the idea that America was settled as a haven for religious freedom, the notion that the nation’s founding and its constitutional system are Christian inspired is a consciously created myth. It is a myth of national identity, and like all important myths it relies on a mixed record of historical facts and aspirations.”
It is difficult to discern the origin of the separation between church and state because of how much the written and oral evidence from the colonial and revolutionary periods are filled with religious phrases and Biblical references. This was common practice in nearly all areas of life, including in political discussions. The fact that such rhetoric was so commonly used makes it easy to cherry-pick statements to create a history of our political compact being founded on Christianity.
In Chapter 3, “Faiths of Our Fathers,” gives examples of how cherry-picking from this period simplifies the ambiguous and sometimes nuanced words of the Founders to “prove” our nation was founded as a Christian nation.
Chapter 4 examines the secular nature of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Chapter 5: the how and why the myth of America as a Christian nation was consciously created after the War of 1812 in “a quest to forge a national identity.” Books of this period, especially textbooks and histories, and commentaries cast Washington, the Declaration & Constitution, common law, and the Puritans as reflections of God’s will; that is, Christianity, so “America’s identity was secure, and it had a glorious future, but both were due to its religious founding, one that had been guided by God.”
The elements that came together to create the myth:
- The deification of Washington
- Evangelical Revisionism (The Second Great Awakening): “The image of a secular government succumbed to a myth that America had been founded as a Christian nation.”
- Christianity and the law: a pre-eminent higher law (natural law) underlay all law. (Blackstone’s COMMENTARIES)
- A revision of the Pilgrims and Puritans
The myth created during the early 19th Century was less divisive politically and culturally than the belief today.
May 23, 2019
This book was the author's argument that America was not founded as a specifically Christian country, and that the idea that it was founded as a Christian country was a later by writers in the early 19th century who were trying to define what made America unique. It's definitely a reaction to the writings of conservatives and Christians who want to paint the Founding Fathers as all devout men guided by the Bible and God to found the country. The author pulls together a variety of documents, including letters and diaries of the Founding Fathers and takes apart the arguments step by step, showing that they were far more influenced by Enlightenment thinkers than the Bible or the Puritans that are often cited as their inspiration.
One of the interesting nuggets that he put out was that the Mayflower Compact, which is often pointed to by supporters of the idea that America was founded as a Christian nation as a source for the Constitution, was not called that until 1793, after the Constitution was written and ratified. He also pointed out that the Pilgrims and Puritans were largely forgotten until they were used in a famous speech by Daniel Webster in 1820, which brought them back into the public consciousness. Let's face it: the settlement at Jamestown (1607) was set up 13 years before the one at Plymouth Rock (1620), and it's a bit silly to say that the Plymouth Rock colony had anything to do with the founding of Georgia (a penal colony) or the Carolinas. The famous tale of George Washington and the cherry tree was also born in this era.
His idea is basically that, as the US was having divisive problems that would lead to the Civil War, there was a lot of effort in trying to define what made America America. Many influential writers took up the idea of the nation being inspired by Providence (God) and dismissed any notion to the contrary. This became the main view of the history of America which still shapes how it is taught today.
One of the interesting nuggets that he put out was that the Mayflower Compact, which is often pointed to by supporters of the idea that America was founded as a Christian nation as a source for the Constitution, was not called that until 1793, after the Constitution was written and ratified. He also pointed out that the Pilgrims and Puritans were largely forgotten until they were used in a famous speech by Daniel Webster in 1820, which brought them back into the public consciousness. Let's face it: the settlement at Jamestown (1607) was set up 13 years before the one at Plymouth Rock (1620), and it's a bit silly to say that the Plymouth Rock colony had anything to do with the founding of Georgia (a penal colony) or the Carolinas. The famous tale of George Washington and the cherry tree was also born in this era.
His idea is basically that, as the US was having divisive problems that would lead to the Civil War, there was a lot of effort in trying to define what made America America. Many influential writers took up the idea of the nation being inspired by Providence (God) and dismissed any notion to the contrary. This became the main view of the history of America which still shapes how it is taught today.
May 20, 2019
Steven K. Green, a law professor at Willamette University, and a former legal director and special counsel for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, here disputes the notion that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and he does so with scholarship that is both reasonable and comprehensive.
Nevertheless, the book reminds me of a major problem with C. Vann Woodward’s Strange Career of Jim Crow (1955), which argued that Jim Crow laws were not enacted immediately following the Civil War but were put into force later in the century. Woodward's thesis works well if you are a 20th-century professor examining the legislative record and court decisions. Woodward's thesis works less well if you are an African American thinking about taking a meal in a southern restaurant in 1870. Reality doesn't always jibe with paper documents.
Green does well to conclude his book by reminding his readers that history is complicated. The evidence he himself presents is complicated enough. Add to that an understanding of the new nation that was carried in the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of ordinary 19th-century Americans, and the complexity grows. Myths are not necessarily lies. We don’t have to endorse the inanities of Christian nationalists plucking quotations from the Founders out of context to believe that for practical purposes the American colonies and the early United States were indeed founded, at least roughly, on Christian principles.
Nevertheless, the book reminds me of a major problem with C. Vann Woodward’s Strange Career of Jim Crow (1955), which argued that Jim Crow laws were not enacted immediately following the Civil War but were put into force later in the century. Woodward's thesis works well if you are a 20th-century professor examining the legislative record and court decisions. Woodward's thesis works less well if you are an African American thinking about taking a meal in a southern restaurant in 1870. Reality doesn't always jibe with paper documents.
Green does well to conclude his book by reminding his readers that history is complicated. The evidence he himself presents is complicated enough. Add to that an understanding of the new nation that was carried in the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of ordinary 19th-century Americans, and the complexity grows. Myths are not necessarily lies. We don’t have to endorse the inanities of Christian nationalists plucking quotations from the Founders out of context to believe that for practical purposes the American colonies and the early United States were indeed founded, at least roughly, on Christian principles.
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April 18, 2022The author does a great job of framing the issue, discussing the complexity of the relevant events from the Puritans through to the mid 19th century, of giving the early 19th century evangelical as well as modern Christian nationalist position a fair and thorough voice, and of fully and meticulously exposing the logical errors thereof. While he concludes that a failure to understand the issue is a threat to Christians that they need to learn, I think he could have gone further with it, BUT the author’s style here and throughout the book is more to present the facts objectively and then the errors; not to act as a partisan cheerleader. The reader’s conclusions can therefore be based on an informed understanding of the whole issue, rather than at the author’s insistence. This represents a pretty well-disciplined writing style.
August 12, 2025
3 for me but probably 4 or even 5 if you are seriously interested in this subject (If you are I recommend the review by my friend Steve Cunningham.). I read the book only because it will be discussed by the Sunday Philosophers. That being said, it was a carefully researched book with ideas that should make good fodder for a group discussion.
For me, it made me think a bit more than usual about religion as a basis for ethical behavior and the fact that for the most part religions agree on those principles, e.g., it is wrong to kill or steal no matter whether I believe in one god, a triumvirate, or none.
For me, it made me think a bit more than usual about religion as a basis for ethical behavior and the fact that for the most part religions agree on those principles, e.g., it is wrong to kill or steal no matter whether I believe in one god, a triumvirate, or none.
December 12, 2023
I didn't care for this book, although I did find it an interesting premise. Overall, I felt the task of the book, the debunk the religious founding of the US, was fine, but unnecessary. There is so much in our society in which religion and God is being taken out of life, that I personally feel that the "myth" of a religious founding is not something that hurts our country, but ultimately brings us closer to God in our country.
July 30, 2017
Important analysis of the myth of a Christian country, but the material is largely synthetic of other sources. I think this book is meant for a general audience or starting students. It's a good read, but I don't think its primary audience should be experts in religion or early America.
May 17, 2025
excellent review of the forces that perpetuated this myth
This is THE book to read on this subject. Thoughtful, clear, and complete review of the history, discourse, and needs that shaped this myth. Well done.
This is THE book to read on this subject. Thoughtful, clear, and complete review of the history, discourse, and needs that shaped this myth. Well done.
October 21, 2023
excellent and insightful
This scholarly work sets the record straight about the long standing claims/myth that the U.S. is a Christian nation. D
This scholarly work sets the record straight about the long standing claims/myth that the U.S. is a Christian nation. D
November 5, 2017
A thoroughly researched and cited investigation into the religious claims and views about the founding of America from the Puritans until the 1830s.
The author's purpose is to consider the view that America was founded as a "Christian nation" and on Biblical principles and that America has been a beacon for religious liberty since the Puritans. He demonstrates that such claims are overstated. He begins with claims of religious liberty, systematically exploring the various colonies and finding that almost all of them, including the Puritan colonies, did not really affirm religious liberty but expected conformity.
The bulk of the book explores the religious views of the founders and the founding documents, and the author provides a nuanced picture. Many did have very strong Christian views, others tended more toward Deism, but the foundation of their claims about the legitimacy of their endeavor rested upon a Lockean understanding of natural law and the need to resist tyranny. It would be expected to speak of these events in religious terminology considering the time; nevertheless, within a few years of the nation's founding, as the French experiment went south, many pious Americans began to feel uneasy with the "secular" foundation of the American governmental system and in its documents.
The author concludes with an exploration into the first few decades of the 19th century and the establishment of the "Christian nation" myth, charting its primary authors and their endeavors to "baptize" the founders and the founding documents while propping up the Puritans as those seeking religious liberty and establishing a haven for religious liberty.
A very relevant book in light of current arguments about the United States and its beginnings.
**--galley received as part of early review program
The author's purpose is to consider the view that America was founded as a "Christian nation" and on Biblical principles and that America has been a beacon for religious liberty since the Puritans. He demonstrates that such claims are overstated. He begins with claims of religious liberty, systematically exploring the various colonies and finding that almost all of them, including the Puritan colonies, did not really affirm religious liberty but expected conformity.
The bulk of the book explores the religious views of the founders and the founding documents, and the author provides a nuanced picture. Many did have very strong Christian views, others tended more toward Deism, but the foundation of their claims about the legitimacy of their endeavor rested upon a Lockean understanding of natural law and the need to resist tyranny. It would be expected to speak of these events in religious terminology considering the time; nevertheless, within a few years of the nation's founding, as the French experiment went south, many pious Americans began to feel uneasy with the "secular" foundation of the American governmental system and in its documents.
The author concludes with an exploration into the first few decades of the 19th century and the establishment of the "Christian nation" myth, charting its primary authors and their endeavors to "baptize" the founders and the founding documents while propping up the Puritans as those seeking religious liberty and establishing a haven for religious liberty.
A very relevant book in light of current arguments about the United States and its beginnings.
**--galley received as part of early review program
April 29, 2015
ARC via Netgalley
Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding is a book that breaks down the myth or the story that we all know growing up in America and heard around dinner tables around Thanksgiving, that people came to America for Religious Freedom, but in reality it was an afterthought for most.
The book breaks down each group and subset of colonies and tells of the history of each and when they became tolerate or allow religious freedom because it was easier to than not to discriminate or to control everyone with one version of ideals.
It is a pretty even look at both sides of ths story while sticking with history and facts, not myths.
It was an ARC via Netgalley, and there was proofing errors and not a final copy. It was a little dense at times but overall a good read.
Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding is a book that breaks down the myth or the story that we all know growing up in America and heard around dinner tables around Thanksgiving, that people came to America for Religious Freedom, but in reality it was an afterthought for most.
The book breaks down each group and subset of colonies and tells of the history of each and when they became tolerate or allow religious freedom because it was easier to than not to discriminate or to control everyone with one version of ideals.
It is a pretty even look at both sides of ths story while sticking with history and facts, not myths.
It was an ARC via Netgalley, and there was proofing errors and not a final copy. It was a little dense at times but overall a good read.
September 21, 2015
Dense writing, overly wordy unwieldy delivery does little to illuminate the refutation of the "Christian America" claims. Often strays into obscure lines of argument that fail to address central thesis about the those claims. It is like plowing through a dissertation than a coherent narrative for public consumption.
June 2, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This was a very good book! I really liked how it broke down some of the more spurious claims made by religious people but also undressed the deist myth. My only complaint would be 10% of the book being footnotes.
April 29, 2016
Listen to my podcast interview with the author at: http://marginalia.lareviewofbooks.org...
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February 27, 2018Excellent read. Provides targeted information well organized and persuasive.
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